Te Whakatau TiritiThe Settlement

Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri has longstanding historical claims against the Crown arising from acts and omissions that breached te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi and its principles. These claims relate to the Crown’s conduct during and after annexation of Wharekauri (Chatham Islands), particularly in relation to land alienation, the operation of native land laws, fishing rights, and ongoing impacts on tikanga and reo.

Settlement Milestones

Initialled Deed of Settlement (iDoS)

On 11 December 2025, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown initialled a Draft Deed of Settlement, marking significant progress toward final settlement. This is a major milestone following the terms agreed in the AIP.

Documents currently available for this settlement include:

• Deed of Settlement (initialled) – 11 Dec 2025
• Deed of Settlement schedules (General Matters, Property Redress, Documents, Attachments) – 11 Dec 2025

Download iDoS documents:

• Deed of Settlement
• Deed of Settlement schedule – General Matters
• Deed of Settlement schedule – Property redress
• Deed of Settlement schedule – Documents
• Deed of Settlement schedule – Attachments

Agreement in Principle (AIP)

In November 2022, Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri and the Crown signed an Agreement in Principle towards a comprehensive Treaty settlement. The AIP outlines the broad settlement framework, including:

• Recognition of Crown breaches of te Tiriti o Waitangi and acknowledgement of Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri mana and tino rangatiratanga.
• Provision for financial redress and cultural redress, including culturally significant land transfers and shared redress arrangements.

The AIP set the pathway for negotiating the full Deed of Settlement, including agreed historical account, Crown acknowledgements, and apology.

Download AIP:

• Agreement in Principle

Historical Claims

Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri’s historical claims include (but are not limited to):

• Crown acts and omissions relating to land tenure and alienation on Wharekauri.
• Breaches of tino rangatiratanga and collective land rights in 1870 through the Native Land Court.
• Impacts on fishing rights and natural resources.
• Recognition of reo and tikanga.
• Impacts from legislation and Crown processes.

View the Official Crown Documents

For access to all documents related to the Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Treaty Settlement — including the Agreement in Principle, initialled Deed of Settlement, and associated schedules — please visit the official Crown settlement page:

View all Treaty Settlement documents here
(hosted by Te Arawhiti – Office for Māori Crown Relations)

What Comes Next

Final settlement of Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri’s historical claims requires:

• Crown Apology – Formal apology acknowledging breaches of te Tiriti o Waitangi.
• Historical Account & Acknowledgements – Agreed narrative of historical context.
• Cultural, Commercial & Financial Redress – Settlement redress agreed in the Deed and schedules.
• Legislative Process – Passage of Treaty Settlement legislation to give legal effect.

Ngā Whakapānga / Contacts

For more information or questions regarding the Treaty settlement process and status:

Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri Iwi Trust
PO Box 50, Waitangi, Wharekauri, Chatham Islands 8942
13 Waitangi Tuku Road, Chatham Islands 8016
Email: iwitrust@nmow.iwi.nz
Phone: Toll Free 0800 WHAREKAURI | (03) 3050 500